Butterflies and Kittens
by Neiti Louhi
Summary: Oneshots written for 30kisses over at LiveJournal. [Soubi x Ritsuka], [shonenai].
1. Restraint

_**Title: **Restraint  
**Author: **Me! _FrozenCellophane _aka _urania-chan_  
**Pairing:** Agatsuma Soubi x Aoyagi Ritsuka  
**Fandom: **Loveless  
**Theme:** #29 – the sound of waves (written for 30 Kisses, over at LiveJournal)  
**Disclaimer:** Loveless and its characters sadly don't belong to me._

---

"Sometimes I just want to fly away," Ritsuka whispers, staring at the deep blue sea that stretches in front of him, smooth like a silken blanket.

Soubi stands beside him quietly. He knows, he doesn't need to answer, maybe he even shouldn't answer, but he wants to anyway. He wants to tell Ritsuka that he could spread his wings if he'd only try, that he could soar if he'd really want to. But Soubi remains silent because he knows that Ritsuka will call him a liar or get angry, and then think he said something stupid. Ritsuka will be embarrassed about it, and even though Soubi adores him when he's blushing, he still knows that he shouldn't say something in order to make Ritsuka feel self-conscious. So he doesn't.

The wind picks up, tousling black hair, swirling pale golden strands, tearing up the still water surface.

The waves come crashing at the rocks numerous feet below them now, the thunderous noise echoing up the cliff, so loud it makes Ritsuka wince and flatten his ears. Soubi's fingers twitch as he tries to keep himself from covering them, to block out every sound, to block out everything that could hurt Ritsuka.

He clenches his hands into fists when Ritsuka starts shivering from the cold breeze. It's better if he doesn't embrace Ritsuka now, it's better if he lets him think, lets him at least have his thoughts to himself. It isn't important how much Soubi would like to hug Ritsuka and warm him up, the important thing is that he doesn't.

Soubi can almost feel the spray on his face, tiny droplets that cling to his skin, and he imagines he can see them on Ritsuka's hair, glistening in the subdued sun. He thinks he would like to ruffle these locks, so he can feel the dampness under his palms and see those violet eyes look up at him, but he doesn't. He respects Ritsuka, and if he needs this time, Soubi is going to grant it. Maybe Ritsuka will eventually turn to Soubi and face him, and that's when Soubi will draw him near and nuzzle his cat ears. No earlier. Because he respects Ritsuka.

But when Ritsuka sinks to his knees shaking with silent sobs, Soubi instantly rushes to his side, wrapping protective arms around the trembling form.

"Ritsuka..."

He doesn't respond when Soubi places a soft kiss on even softer hair, tasting the lingering saltiness.

Ritsuka's gaze stays fixed on the troubled tide, ears still flattened at the booming sounds.

"Sometimes I want to fly away."

---

**The End**

_---_

_Reviews make me Happy! Yes, Happy, with a capital H. :D_**  
**


	2. Of Empathy And Compassion

**Title:** Of Empathy And Compassion

**Author:** FrozenCellophane aka urania-chan

**Pairing:** Agatsuma Soubi x Aoyagi Ritsuka

**Fandom:** Loveless

**Theme: **#28 - Wada Calcium CD3 (for 30kisses over at LJ)

**Disclaimer:** Loveless and its characters don't belong to me and I'm not making money with this.

**Spoilers / Setting:** Set somewhere during volume 1 of the manga.

**Notes:** It's fluffy and crazy, and I've no idea where this came from... but somehow it took me years... and now everything is rather symbolic. o.O

**Superfluous Special Notes:** Wada Calcium CD3 is a calcium supplement for the growing, the elderly, and those who don't get enough sunlight or fish. /small

--

While Seimei had been tall, Ritsuka wasn't, but he liked to think that this would change eventually, that he would grow and be just as perfect as Seimei had been. That was the next best thing to happen because whatever happened, Seimei wasn't going to come back, and Ritsuka should at least try his best to be like him. And maybe if that worked he would remember everything and be the old Ritsuka again. His mother could love him again. It was all a matter of time.

Or so he told himself. But every time he checked his height and noticed that he had not grown, he couldn't ignore the little twinge that gnawed at his heart. It was as if the cruel truth was biting him, the truth that he could never be as great as his brother had been, and that there wasn't any way that everything would be okay.

It was all a matter of time.

Ritsuka hated it when Soubi patted his hair. He hated it when Soubi scooped him up and held him like some puppet. He hated it when Soubi had to bent down to kiss him.

One day he mumbled just that into Soubi's furry black collar, while the blond was carrying him away from the battlefield, and Ritsuka was clinging to him once again.

When Soubi asked him why, he just whispered, "Seimei was really tall."

Ritsuka wasn't quite sure if that actually was the answer or if he was evading it, but it was the only thing he had to say anyway.

When Soubi didn't answer Ritsuka wasn't sure if he had heard him. Maybe it hadn't even been a whisper but rather a thought. Or Soubi simply hadn't wanted to hear him. It was pretty easy to pretend he hadn't heard anything. He could let Ritsuka think he hadn't said it aloud. Or maybe Soubi saw no need to answer since it hadn't been a question.

Time seemed to stretch as the golden tinged leaves drifted by, carried by a wind that wafted gently through the hazy air of dusk.

Ritsuka wasn't expecting an answer anymore when Soubi spoke up, "Then maybe you just have to take some of this calcium supplement. How do they call it?"

Soubi smiled.

And Ritsuka smiled back.

---

**Le Fin**

* * *

Uhm, that was strange, I'm sorry... But, well, it's late. 


End file.
